From privacy concerns to monopolies, some people have been growing increasingly concerned over some of Google's business practices for years now. Wonder what those types think now the search giant owns a company that makes military robots.

Yes, Google has splashed out and purchased Boston Dynamics, the same company who we've featured here a number of times before for their terrifying work on both humanoid and dog-like (or, you know, Metal Gear-like) robots.

The New York Times says Google is being "circumspect" as to why Boston Dynamics has been bought, only suggesting that it'll add significant clout to their own in-house robotics efforts.

Advertisement

Which it no doubt will. But the interesting part of this is that Boston Dynamics currently has a contract with the US military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is what robots like Atlas and Big Dog were built for.

That puts Google in the military contractor business, at least temporarily while the contract is honoured, though the company says it has no business staying in the field once those obligations are done.